Miamians now can take the Metrorail to and from the Miami International Airport (MIA), including paying their fares on the EASY Card smart card system designed and integrated by Cubic Transportation Systems, the leading integrator of payment and information technology and services for intelligent travel solutions.
"The new Orange Line service to MIA puts Miami at the forefront of major U.S. cities with seamless access from plane to train and other forms of ground transportation," said Richard Wunderle, senior vice president and general manager, Cubic Transportation Systems' North America operations. "Cubic is pleased to have been a part of this addition to Miami-Dade Transit's services and to reinforce a positive experience for their customers."
Cubic extended the EASY Card system to MIA Metrorail Station under an approximately $1 million option in the original contract with MDT, including new faregates and ticketing machines. Cubic's Nextfare central system is the information and fare processing backbone of the system. The international system integrator deployed the first phase of EASY Card in a record 15 months, with contract award in June 2008 and launch in September 2009. Less than a year later, Cubic added SFRTA's Tri-Rail to the EASY Card system.
Miami-Dade Transit's new Orange Line starts at the Miami Intermodal Center, the region's new ground transportation hub that greets air travelers and gives them options to jump aboard MDT buses or the Metrorail, utilize the car rental facilities, or hail a cab. Future services will be available from Amtrak and regional SFRTA.
The EASY Card lets Miami-Dade Transit riders ease their way from parking to rail to bus services across the city, all with a single smart card. The card can be used to pay all transit fares, including transfers between bus and rail. The new EASY Card system is now operational across MDT's 23 Metrorail stations and in nearly 900 buses.
